X-ray simulating toy



Oct. 24, 1950 c, 5, RAlZEN 2,527,332

X-RAY SIMULATING TOY Filed Oct. 12, 1949 I5 '6 A RED-RAY/22 Imventor:

CHARLES S. RAIZEN attorney Patented Oct. 24,1950

'X-RAXSIMULATING 'ro My invention relates to optical toys or to toys producing optical illusions, and one of its objects isto providesimple and-inexpensivemeans for i simulating the effects of an expensive apparatus.

Another .object is to simulate the effect of X-rays. I

A further object is to-simulatethe effect of a, I microscope.

Still other objects are to provide-one device for optionally simulating the effect ofX-rays. or of a microscope, thereby to provide a toy for various interesting and educational uses, to fa-, cilitate the adaptation of the toy for one of these uses and the change from one use to the other, and toindicate clearly the use for which the toy is set at a time.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of my invention, from the appendedclaiirs and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front View of an, illustrative embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a front viewofa frame which is a part of the embodimentshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

'-Fig. 4 showsanotherv view of. the sameframe seen from the lower side in Fig. 3.

r Fig. 5 shows a front view of a broken off por tion of a film band or picture strip which may be used as-a supplementary part of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4. a

Fig. 6 shows an optical illusion which may be produced by the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to.4.. i

Referring to the drawing, numeral l indicates a casing which is similar to a camera and has a front wall'3, a back wall 4, two side walls 5, a top Wall 6 and a bottom]. The bottom I may be provided with'a stem-like extension 8 which simulates the foot piece of a camera andv serves as a handle. The front wall 3 has an about centrally located circular peep-hole 9 and another aperture H which is preferably positioned vertically over the hole 9 and may have a rectangular shape. The back Wall 4 has a window or opening I2 which is positioned opposite to the lookhole 9, is'rpreferably considerably larger than the latter and may have a rectangular shape.

A frame l3 comprises a central portion I4 and two wings'l5 extending--symmetrically from the central portion-to opposite sides. Each wing has a fiat rectangular cross-section and passes slidably through correspondingly shaped slots in one ofthe side walls 5. The central portion [4 is thicker and higher than the Wings 15 and is 1 claims.

SQI taizen, New Rochelle, N. Y. e I Application Qctcber 12, 1949;" Serial No. 120,857

shorter, in the sliding direction, than the distance between the side walls 5. Henceth'e frame l3. can slide from a position where the portion [4 contacts one of the walls 5 to a position where this portion contacts the other wall 5. The casing I may be made of parts of any suitable shape whichare integrally united after the frame 13 has been inserted.

The central frame portion I 4 has a rectangular recess IS in its front and a similar recess I! in its back. Two layers [8 which may be made of cardboard are tightly inserted in the recess I1. Windows or peep-holes l9 and 2| form openings passing through the portion l4 and through the layers 18. These windows are positioned at the same level, and their centers have a distance equal to thesliding way of the frame [3 from one of its extreme positions to the other. When the frame is in its extreme right position as ,shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, the Window I9 is co-axial with the peep-hole 9. When the frame is in its extreme left position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the window 2| is co-axial with this peep-hole.

The front of the frame portion It comprises a surface area. 22 which shows two different indicia or legends. For example, anindicium reading X-Ray is positioned verticallyover the window I9, and an indicium'reading' Red-Ray is positioned vertically over the Window 2]} Both indicia' are positionedat the same level as the aperture ll.

Two different transparent layers 23 and .24 are positionedacross the respective areas of the windoWs and may be wedged between and affixed to the layers Ill, The layer 23-.spanning over the window-I9 is a piece of feather which may be cut out of the fan portion of a suitable bird 1 feather, for example, of a chicken feather, or

. The layer 24 is a transparent sheet of uniform colorand serves to simulate the effect of a microscope as will be described later. Whenathe described toy is used for the latter purpose, a transparent picture is observed through the layer 24; A number of suitable pictures may be arranged for alternate or selective use in a row on a transparent strip or'film band 25. For

1 example, a field 26 of this film contains one picture and further fields 21 may contain other different representations, one showing an object that is ordinarily well visible with the naked eye or a macroscopic object, the other representation showing a microscopic object, that is, an object that is ordinarily visible only under a microscope. The microscopic object is represented on a considerably largerscale than the. macroscopic object and about as large as it would appear under a microscope. For example, field 26 shows a hand 28 which is a macroscopic object and germs 29 which are microscopic objects.

The macroscopic and microscopic objects are represented in overlapping positions and in different colors. The color of the macroscopic picture is the same as that o'f layer2'4, for example, red. The color of the microscopic object is preferably a contrasting or complementary color, for example, green or blue. The color of the microscopic object is preferably less dark or less intense than the color of the macroscopic object.

The casing] is provided with means for re- I movably attaching any of these pictures in a position where thjs'picture covers the window l2. For example twohorizontal ledges 3| are connected to the back wall 4,1'un along the upper and lower edge of the window and project slightly into the space behind this window. The film band 25 fits the distance between the ledges t'3l and can be so positioned that its front contacts the back side of the wall 4, that its upper and lower rims contact the front sides of the ledges 3| and that a portion of this band covers the window I2. Thus positioned, the band is 'slidably held and can be moved horizontally whereby any of its pictures may be positioned behind the window l2.

The described toy operates as follows:

In order to simulate X-rays, the frame [3 is moved .into that position in which the word fX-Ray appears behind the aperture H. 'In this position of the frame, the 'windowl9 with the feather layer 23 is situated in the line of .vision running from the peep-hole 9 to the window I2.

The casing l is so directed that light enters the window l2, for exar'nple,by directing .the casing toward'ia lamp or toward a day- 'lighted window. A suitable object, forexample, a hand with spread fingers is heldat a distance behind the casing l in the path of the light passingthrough the window I2 toward the peep-hole 9'. When this light passes thefeather layer 23, it is deflected or broken in such a peculiar manner that the object held behind the casing casts a shadow consisting of a bright area surrounding a dark kernel with fairly sharp outlines. For example, a finger'appears as shown in Fig. 6 where a bright gray area 32 surrounds a dark gray kernel 33. Such a picture is similar to an X-ray picture, the dark part simulating the 'bones and the bright part the flesh of the finger.

In order to set the toy for the simulation of a microscope, the frame I3 is moved into that position in which the word Red-Ray appears behind the aperture ll. This movement brings the window 2 l' with the colored layer 24 into the line of-vision running from the peep-hole 9 to the window I2. Then a suitable transparent picture, for example the picture shown infield 26 of the film band 25 is positioned behind the window 12 in the manner described before, and

the casing is directed toward a light source. In "the picture observed through the peep-hole 9, the representation of the macroscopic object is blotted out by the layer -'24 while the microscopic object appears clearly, its color being strength- .lation of vX-rays and of a microscope.

avoids disturbance of the observed picture by lateral light, provides guidance for the frame and for the'film band and increases the similarity to an optic apparatus.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiment shown and described, the same being merelyillustrative,

and that my-invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Betters Patent is:

1. An optical toy comprising a frame having a peep-hole, a layer of transparent material of a uniform color positioned across the 'areaof-said hole, and a pictureshowing a macroscopic object represented in said color and further showing a microscopic object represented in a different color and on a much larger scale than said macroscopic object whereby, when said picture is observed through said peep-hole and said transparent "layer, the disappearance 'of 'said macroscopic object and the clear appearance of said'microscopic object simulates the effect of a microscope.

2. An optical toy comprising a -camera-like casing having a peep-hole at its front and havinganopening at its back, a transparent strip,

means affixed to said. casing and holding said strip slidably in a position where a portion of said strip covers said opening, a layer of transparent material of auniform colorpositioned in the line of vision from said peep-hole to said strip, said strip having a row of pictures, each being not larger than'said opening, showing a macroscopic object represented in said color and further showing a microscopic object represented in a different color and on a much larger scale thansaid macroscopic object whereby, when said picture is observed through said peep-hole and said transparent layer, the disappearance of said macroscopic object and the clear'appearance of said microscopic object simulates the efiect of a microscope.

CHAS. S. RAIZEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number Name Date 803,244 Paget Oct. 31, 1905 1,138,737 Dunham May-11, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,170 Great Britain 1897 

